In 1517, Martin Luther wrote his 95 Thesis, condemning the church for selling the forgiveness of sins, which scripture teaches to be a free gift from God.

Romans 6:23

Ephesians 2: 8-10

Yesterday I talked about the "Diet of Worms", a council made up of the church and the state that met in 1521. They wanted Martin Luther to recant his writings concerning scripture.

"Since your most serene majesty and your high mightiness require from me a clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give you one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, because it is clear to me as the day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning--unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted--and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me. Amen." (From J.H. Merle D'Aubigne, The Life and Times of Martin Luther; trans. H. White (Chicago: Moody, 1958), 423-34.)